Tricks and Schemes
by YouCallThatAKiss
Summary: Cato and Clove get picked to volunteer together, but was it a trick? Will they have to kill eachother and their new best friend? Or will they find a way out? What problems will this cause? And will an unknown love be damaged?
1. Tricks and Schemes

_the blood trickles down my sword as I look at the bodies of the two people I trust. My eyes aren't the ice blue but charcoal black. I stare at the bodies, showing no emotion. I see the girl I loved curled up in in my friends arms, dead. The grip around her used to be tight and protective, now his arms lay loosely around her. Her face used to be scrunched up in fear of my blade, now she looks as if she is sleeping. Their clothes are crimson with blood. I kneel down next to the girl and sigh. Silence. Her once happy smile and bubbly voice, gone. Forever. I whisper my final good bye to her as the hover craft comes to pick me up._  
_"I love you ok? It was for the better." I stand up and walk to the hovercraft. As I step onto the ladder and I'm frozen into place, I take one last look at the body's being taken up into another hovercraft like the twenty one others that died. Good bye, good luck, Clover._


	2. Chapter one: Memories

**Cato's POV (first meeting (Clove: 7 Cato: 8)):**

It was a cold Tuesday morning at the vast training centre. I was only eight but in my eyes I was still the best there. I had been training since I was four years old and was definitely the best in my group for sure. I was really annoyed and angry, today as our trainer was extremely ill we had to partner up with the younger group, as if I wasn't already too skilled for my group... I walked in with my sword and messed around with it, stabbing a dummy and slicing it repeatedly.

After a while my friends started joining me. Maxier, a boy about my size with blonde hair a sea blue eyes, like most district two people who lived in the centre, blonde hair or light brown hair and blue eyes. He was always the clown. Gariton, a short boy with dark hair, pale skin and brown eyes, like the people on the outskirts near the mountains, the poorer people. And lastly Derion, a lanky boy with mousy brown hair and light brown eyes, my best friend. We all started messing around and play fighting like normal.

After a while they called the group together and told us about our groups joining together, I groaned looking at the seven year olds at the front really excited and the eight year olds groaning with me. We were told we would be doing knife throwing and everyone sighed, except one girl who caught my eye because she seemed over the moon, she must have been the youngest in her group and only just have turned seven, unlike me who was turning nine in two weeks. She was smiling brightly, her pale skin showed me that she lived near the nut, where all the weapon makers and masons lived, the poorer people. She had raven black hair that was put in a high pony tail, and forest green eyes mixed with pastel green and brown outlines. She was wearing training boots and a maroon zip up hoodie.

I rolled my eyes at her excitement. We all picked up a few knives and started practising, but is soon my friends and I got bored so stood at the side joking around laughing when Maxier pointed out the girl that I observed earlier. She was hitting the target perfectly and was the only person still training.

No one took training really seriously till they were twelve when they picked their weapon of choice and are sorted into groups according to skill. I saw her ears pick up at our laughing. Suddenly a knife whizzed past me and cut off some of my hair and just the wall perfectly above my head, I glared at her.

"you missed" I shouted at her angry.

"no I didn't, I never miss"

**Cloves POV (assesment (Clove: 12 Cato: 14)):**

I was so excited on my twelfth birthday, I finally get to pick my weapon of choice and then they judge me and put me in my skill group. My best friends Cato and Derion both got into top group and all their other friends didn't so leading to them not hanging up together anymore.

Since the day I meet them, Cato and I have been inseparable, Derion was like a brother to me. Cato was almost two years older than me, our birthdays were exactly a month away from each-others, so he was thirteen at the time, and was nearly fourteen. I couldn't wait to join them in top group, everyone knew I would be in there. I got to training and the trainers took me to a special room and sat me at a desk, it was strange as the trainers would make this very formal and I was very active and wanted to move around all the time so this was going to be an interesting hour.

I looked at the new boots my dad had got me for my birthday, it was only him and I at home, and he worked late into the nights making weapons for peace keepers, he was really happy and merry all the time, no matter how much we struggled. My dad had done so much for me as my mum died when I was born leaving him to take care of a baby. The boots were great, they were combat boots and were really good quality, I don't know how he afforded them. I also wore really light brow trousers and a darker brown top and a black jacket to train in as it is very comfortable.

A senior leader came in and sat down in front of the table I was sat at and set down a form.

"name?" he said, he was obviously high up and had paid a lot into this place, he was from the centre of the district, all our victors come from there. He was blonde hair that was turning grey, and pale blue eyes and was very tall, of course, he was Cato's dad.

My dad really liked Cato, he thought it was nice to see that the centre weren't all stuck up rich snobs, but the thing is, Cato's dad was a perfect example of the stereotype of the people from the centre. He wanted his children to win the games and hates all the people from the outskirts and also was a Capitol lover. People from the outskirts want to go into the games and fight and win, but for the actual game, fighting, blood and the money, not for the Capitol and honour. Cato's dad didn't really like me hanging around with Cato but let us as he saw a lot of potential in me.

"Clove Cutler" i said politely. Cutler was a common surname for an outskirter, it meant knife maker, along with Mason, the two main jobs for the people on the out skirts. Cato's dad wrote it down.

"and may I ask your weapon of choice please?" he asks and I smirk

"knives, mainly throwing" I'm already tapping my foot wanting to train, Cato's dad chuckled.

"calm down Clove" I smiled and he wrote down my weapon of choice.

We exchanged a few more questions then they took me to a room much like the main training room but much smaller. There was a table with an array of different knives spread across it, I picked up about ten and put them in my belt and also a machete. There were three men that lead the training centre sat there, one of them being Cato's dad.

I walked over to the archery range as it was much longer than the knife and spear throwing section. I stood there in stance. This would decide my future. Join my dads job. Peace keeper. Or Victor. I look at Cato's dad and he nods, letting me know it's time to start. I stand ready, knives in hands. I close my eyes and focus. Then, I start throwing, viciously and showing off. After the last knife hit the dummy I picked up the machete and throw it at the dummy, sending it spinning through the air. The machete sliced the dummy's head off cleanly with a perfectly horizontal line, sending the head to the floor with a bang. The men were silent for a moment and then started writing notes.

I walked up to the decapitated dummy and examined it closely, the ten knives stuck perfectly straight and deeply into ten deadly places, one on the forehead, one in each eye, one in the heart, one in each lung, one just above the collar bone, and three in the stomach. I smirked to my self then stood up straight, I walked formally to the cross on the floor in front the men, a lady came in and measured every inch of me and weighed me. I was average height for my age, but they liked to have tall bulky people in top group, but I was lean due to living in the poorer part of the district, making me different. I would have points deducted from me for that. The lady looked at me. "you'll be measured every month so we can update your file." she said and I nodded as she passed her noted to the men and they wrote it on my files.

I started fiddling my fingers and tapping my feet wanting to run around and train, the men notice this and smiled writing it down too. Cato's dad looked up and stands up. "we are done come with me" he walked into a room with the training uniforms.

There were five groups, all set out like a pyramid, group five was the biggest and was the lowest, they wore black clothes like everyone did, but they wore a green strip on the seams. Group four was still big but a bit smaller than five and they wore a purple stripe. Group three was a bit smaller so medium size and had an orange stripe. Group two was small and were second best and wore a white strip. Group one was very small, the top group, only about ten people and they would almost always get picked to volunteer, they wore a crimson red stripe.

Cato's dad looked through the uniforms and pulled out a perfectly sized uniform and passed it to me, I saw the crimson line following the seam carefully and my face lit up.

"thank you so much sir, this means a lot" I beamed to him an he smiled.

"don't let us down Clove" he walked out and I ran to the toilets to get changed really quickly, no doubt Cato and Darion would be waiting for me.

I got out into the main training room and saw Cato and Darion laughing practising with spears laughing, I ran behind them and tapped their shoulders. They both turned around and Cato hugged me tight when he saw my red stripe, and I hugged back.

"welcome to the club, Clover"

**Catos POV (the seventy second games (Clove: 13 Cato:15)):**

I was fifteen when Darion entered the games and Clove was thirteen. We both sat at my house watching every second together, I enjoyed the time with Clove. I sat there watching the games carefully, Darion and Clove were amazing friends to me, but I was starting to think I liked Clove. Clove was amazing, and a great career, she wasn't a machine, she put passion into her train, enjoyed the killing, I loved that.

Darion was doing well, he was in the last three as the games were coming to a close. In the opening ceromonies he wore a suit that looked like it was made from bricks and his face looked like it was made from stone too. He got a nine in training, the average for the careers. He was great in his interview, he said he wanted to get home for a girl he liked but she never knew, he said it would be a secret till he won, a great way to get sponcers as the Capitol are really nosey but I'm scared it's Clove. I think Clove likes him too which makes me slightly jelouse.

The last three, Darion, the girl from four who was eighteen, short and had bright red hair, and the boy from one who was seventeen blonde and green eyed. The girl from four was killed by the boy from one, making me worry.

Clove suddenly burrows her head in my shoulder, normally I would love this, but then I realise it's because she doesn't want Darion to die.

I sigh and hold her close, watching the tv carefully. I gasped as the boy from one pins Darion down, a sword to his throat. I hope he has remembered what Clove always tells us, always keep a knife up your sleave. The boy from one chuckles into his face. Darion is too clever to forget what Clove said and with one swift move a cannon goes off, and I hold Clove closer. I feel clove cry silently into my shoulder.

"he won Clover..." I whisper, realising im shocked, meaning I thought he wouldn't win, i didn't realise i thought that.

A slow smile grows on my face and Clove looked up at me, her green eyes watery so I whip the tears away. She slowly smiles too, and huged me tight, starting to laugh, I did so too. We ran around the living room celebrating.

The next day was the part I was dreading, the interview. Clove and I sat down and turned the tv on and the show started. Darion looked great in his suit, I sighed, Clove must have fallen for him. Caesar introduced him and sat down. They started to talk about how the games went, Darion is a young victor and so he almost played it sweet and innocent. Then finally the part I was dreading.

"So you promised to tell us this girls name, now say!" Caesar said, and I gulped.

"oh well she's amazing, she uses knives" I felt Clove stiffen in my grip and Darion laughs innocently

"she's a girl called Clove Culter" he blushes bright red and continued talking about Clove, I was too upset to hear. The sound of Clove crying brought me out of this state. Clove never cries so I knew it was bad.

"Clove" I hug her tighter and wipe her tears

"what's wrong aren't you happy?" she looked up at me.

"no... I'm stuck with him now, the Capitol will make sure of it. I don't even like him like that! He's like a brother to me!" I sighed, all of this was true, but if Clove saw Darion as a brother, how did she see me? I held Clove tight and rocked her gently.

"I'm so sorry... It wont be that bad" I sigh whispering to her, she shoots up and looks at me.

"not that bad?! When they force me to marry him at like, 18?! Force us to have kids?!" she was screaming an crying at me, I felt helpless, I wanted to tell her I liked her but that would just make this harder for her and I.

"you'll be ok Clover..." I tried to reassure her.

"no! No it won't! I don't love him! I don't even like him! I like someone else!" she shouted, I backed away, we are both dangerous when we are angry, too dangerous.

"Clove... Calm down ok?..." her face changed from anger and upset, to rage and pain.

"calm down?! How?! I-I-I don't..." I looked at the screaming girl break down in front of me, the girl that was always happy, but had a very dark side, she was happy from the pain and the fear she could cause and what kept her happy and sweet was her knowing she could over power many people. Now Clove didn't have a say in what was happening, I could see it tearing her a part. Slowly she looked down, showing no emotion and sat back next to me. I looked at her confused till she said

"let's see how the Capitol will like my little twist I put into the story" I gulped knowing this would end badly.

"Clover, be careful" I sighed.

"oh I am" she smiles

"let's see how the Capitol deals with heart break" I had to admire her scheme here. I looked at her and smiled, it would work, shes only thirteen so she could act all innocent and act like she just wanted to live a life for a while. That's what I liked so much about Clove, she was so innocent and young looking but had a mind that was more clever and older than it should be, also her looks did not portray who she was, she was not innocent, she was dangerous.

**Cloves POV (shocks (Clove: 15 Cato: 17)):**

Cato and I had changed a lot the last few years, we were extremely close still, but very different. Cato was loud, cocky and I have to admit, a bit of a jerk, but I liked that. I on the other hand was quick, sly and quite clever, but we liked each other for that.

My scheme had worked, when Darion got home he ran up and hugged me tight and hugged back and whispered to him that I didn't like him. The camreas heard this, and I looked at Darion innocently then hugged him tighter and told him he was like a brother to me. Darion soon got over me and fame went to his head, girls surrounded him and he changed too much so Cato and I left him.

Today they were gonna say who was volunteering for the seventy forth hunger games. Cato was so excited, he knew it would be him. I wanted to wait till the quell to volunteer as it was more dangerous, more fun. I get up early that morning and quickly get into my training clothes and grab my bag.

I walked out the front door before the sun had even peaked over the mountains. I like to take the back roads, the dirt paths, where the grass over grew and grabbed your legs as you walked past and the light dots of colours from where the flowers grow. On your left you can just see the roof tops and the rest of the outskirts. On your right you can see the large mountains looming over and covered in light snow.

I run down the path as the sun rises in front of me, like every day. The journey normally takes me about an hour to run but I still did it every day. Once the sun had nearly completely rose, I was about ten minutes from the training centre. I felt a strong hand grip my arm tightly, so my first reaction was to kick them, so I did.

"what the hell Clover?!" I turned around and saw Cato doubled over in pain, I burst out laughing. He glared at me and stood up.

"shouldn't of attacked me randomly then you would be fine." I laughed and he glared at me, and started walking next to me.

"you gonna miss me when I'm in the Capitol?" he smirked at me.

"no, Cato it's only for three to four weeks"

"well you see me everyday, it will be a shock to you"

"a good shock, it will be nice to have a break from you for once" he huffed and kept walking next to me looking down a little. I whisper to him, as the morning was quiet only disturbed by our voices and the occasional gust of wind.

"I will miss you... a lot" I said almost annoyed that I looked weak. I could see Cato perking up and smirking.

"Ha! I knew it! You will miss my charm and awesomeness!" he smirked and joked as I started to laugh. I slowly stop and realise that if Cato does go into the games he may not come out, and I'll lose my best friend. I guess Cato realised the same thing as he put his arm over my shoulder and smiles.

"race you to the centre!" before he even finished his sentence, he was off. I ran after him and after a few minutes we were neck and neck with the training centre in sight. we both got there at the same time out of breath and walked in. Everyone was standing in a semi circle so we joined in, standing with our group. Cato's dad stepped out and looked around at all of us carefully.

"good morning" he said sternly.

"Today we will be announcing the volunteers for the seventy fourth annual hunger game" he then smirked

"but first! Your mentors for this year are Enobaria" I smiled at this, I had looked up at her most of my life, she's a knife thrower too but has a dangerous twist, her teeth.

"and also Darion" I looked at Cato knowing he would enjoy his time very much. He exchanged sly smirks then looked back at his dad.

"and the male volunteer will be, from group one" he paused

"Cato Hadely!" everyone cheered and clapped as he stood next to his dad, in between his dad and Enobaria. I smiled at him excitedly and remembered last night when we went to the lake next to the nut.

_"Cato..." it had finally hit me, sitting cross legged in the grass looking at the glittering water. Cato looked at me. "_

_yes Clover?" he was laid next to me looking at the sky. _

_"promise to come back..." I almost whispered, he sat up and sat closer to me._

_ "starting to doubt me?" he said trying to joke, but I looked at him and he knew I was serious. He hugged me tight _

_"I will come back, I promise" _

_"thank you Cato..." I sighed _

_"I don't care who the girl tribute is, I want them dead so you will come home" he chuckled at me and I smiled weakly and pulled away and looked at him._

_ "Clover... I will kill her myself with ease to get home, I promise."_

"and the female tribute is from group one" Cato's dad looked at me and smiled

"Clove Cutler!" everyone one knows me and Cato are best friends and inseparable, so they awkwardly clap as I walk forward. I can't bare to look at Cato's face. We both know people change in the games and that the chances are one of us will die by the others hands, we are both killers.


	3. Chapter two: Realisation

Cato's POV:  
No! Why did it have to be Clove that was picked! My dad knew this and never told me! I stood there, shocked, staring over everyone's heads. Was I able to kill Clove? No. But was I ready to die? Not just yet. It's not fair, I have two choices, two I don't want to have. I tense up and feel rage roaring in me. Enobaria looked at me and I could tell she had realised that I knew Clove. After a while I come to and realise Clove and I are following my dad down to a room.

"as you two know each other well I don't think you need time to get to know each other do we will do that later, Cato you go and get to know your mentor, Enobaria and Clove you get to know Darion too." I see Darion lead Clove off so I follow Enobaria silently and sit down in the room she leads me too and put my head in my hands.

"so you know her?" Enobaria spoke up "the girl" I lifted my head and glared at her.

"/the girl/ has a name" I hissed and Enobaria smirked

"ok, you know Clove" she laughed a little.

"yes... We are best friends..." I sigh looking down, but then anger comes over me and I snap. I stand up growling and flip over the table and pass the room. Enobaria's eyed widen but then she stands up smirking.

"we have a winner" she says carefully, but it pushes me over the edge. I run to her and pin her against the wall.

"shut up! I don't care what you bloody think! I don't care about your bloody advise!" I scream in her face but before I can continue, four peacekeepers have me on the floor, stomach down. I struggle so it ends up taking seven peacekeepers to hold me still. I keep trying to struggle, seeing Enobaria smirking down at me showing her golden teeth. But slowly... Everything goes dark...

Clove's POV  
I sit silently on a chair in the corner, my fingers fiddle nervously around as I try to think of a plan. Cato and I are monsters, that's what we like the most, but now we know that will not be appreciated when one of us is dead on the floor while their blood is on the others weapon. I sighed and then felt an arm casually around my shoulder.

"well, Clove" Darion smirked at me.

"yes?" I raise my eyebrow looking at him, arms folded.

"looks like we'll be together again" he chuckled while looking at me. I rolled my eyes.

"you think you're better than Cato don't you?" I snapped at him.

"I d-" I cut him off before he could continue.

"just because you were chosen before him, but you were chosen to die" I glare at him

"they wanted the girl to win, not you. You won by luck. Cato has waited so he had more personality and could win with ease, making the others look bad" I stood straight up and walked to the window looking out. My feet were shoulder width apart, they were always like this from my training. I folded my arms and glare out of the window at the stone roads, empty as people were at work. I heard a chuckle as Darion took in what I said and he shook his head.

He stood up, the same height as Cato, just a little less brawny but still one of the biggest in two, but has got smaller has he doesn't train as much anymore. He walked over to me and stood behind me, making me feel uncomfortable. He wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my head. I wanted to push him away but I needed the comfort at this point. As soon as I felt him smirk, I pushed him away so fast he fell onto the floor.

"what the hell Clove?!"

"don't touch me like that again!" I screamed at him and be glared harshly at me before sitting back down.

"you know, when you get out the games, I'll comfort you" this comment earned snigger from me and I sat as far away as possible from him.

"I won't need comfort, especially from you" I folded my arms again. And Darion put a smirk on his face.

"even after you kill your beloved Cato?" I knew he was trying to hit me where it hurt the most but I was strong.

"look, I don't care what you think, I will win and I won't care if I have to kill Cato with my bare hands" this hurt a little to say, but I knew that is what I would be thinking in the games. I heard Darion chuckle and sit next me.

"Clovey Clovey Clovey" he sighed and put his arm around me

"my little killing machine" he smiled and pulled me closer, I decided not to react.

"you will win, I will make sure of it". I turned to face him and smiled in a sickly sweet way.

"Darion, when did you become such a dick?" I asked as if it was a normal question. This shocked him a little and he frowned, staring at me blankly.

"what?... No!" he stands up and frown.

"shut up! You are being stupid! You like me!" I stand up too, smirking. Suddenly before I can say anything I'm shoved into a wall, knocking the wind out of me straight away. I gasped for breath as Darion pinned me tightly to the wall.

"you like me and you know it!" he screamed into my face, his cheeks flushing head with anger. His hands tightened around my shoulders. Pain shot from my shoulders and down my arms causing a wimper to leave my mouth. Darion realised what he was doing and smirked, squeezing tighter. As his fingers dug in between my bones I tried to hold in a scream. A strange yelping sound like a puppy in extreme pain came out of my mouth, causing pleasure to fill Darion's eyes.

"p-please... Stop it!" I screamed in pain. He started digging his nails in causing me to fall weak and to my knees.

"Give in Clovey?" he smirks but I struggle to see as my eyes are misted with tears. I slowly nod, I was the weak one here, Darion may be my only chance of winning. He lets go of my shoulders making me feel five tons lighter. Pain thumped through my shoulders as I slid down against the wall.

"see Clovey? I'm the one you need, get used to it Doll" I closed my eyes tight. As silence fell between us, I let out a little laugh, edged with a painful sound, he still hadn't answered my question. Why was he a Dick?

After a while of just sitting there, avoiding any conversation, Cato's dad walked in and pulled Darion out leaving me sat on the floor alone. I couldn't help but think of the games, the chances were that it would be fun for me. Maybe winning will be great, but I will be stuck with Darion. I sighed and closed my eyes. I life with Darion, the friend that turned into a victor, effected badly by the games and fame, or life... Well no life at all.

Then it came to me, Cato's Dad hates me, Darion wants me, so death means Cato's Dad doesn't need to deal with me, and no one can have me. If I win, Cato's Dad never needs to see me again and Darion gets me, they both win. It was made for this reason, not because of me skill. Everyone wants Cato to win, so I will prove them wrong.

-three days later-

Cloves POV:  
I walked into the training centre and warmed up. Since Cato and I were told about volunteering three days ago we haven't talked. Darion has been threatening me left, right and centre about him and I or I die in the games. I guessed Cato realised the same as me, we would kill each other in the games, even if you say we won't now.

I walked to the climbing walk and started climbing it, with no rope, that was the only way to learn. My father was excited about the games and believed I could beat Cato, I knew all Cato's weak spots. I got to the top and looked around. Cato had just entered, he looked up at my and kept eye contact for a while before walking off. I wanted to talk to him, but in effect now we were just stranger that wanted to kill each other and that's the way it had to be. I climbed down and walked to the knives, the reaping was in two days. I was excited and had thought about how to volunteer already.

I picked up a few knives and continued my normal. Thwomp thwomp thwomp, my knives hit the target. Thwomp thwomp thwomp, my mind ran off to the games again. Thwomp thwomp thwomp, what would it be like of I died? Death never scared me and fear won't take over me now. Thwomp thwomp-

"Clove!" I recognised the voice straight away, the voice missed, the voice I craved to hear. Cato. I turned around straight away.

"yes Cato?" I tried to act like I really didn't care and was annoyed he interrupted me.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to say it in advance" I scrunched up my nose.

"who said you would be able to kill me?". he chuckled at my comment.

"Clove, I'm stronger and twice your weight" he folded his arms laughing. I clenched my fists and anger grew in me.

"I'm faster than you! A better surviver! And can kill you from a longer distance!" I almost screamed. He just walked away, and I couldn't help but run home. I didn't care that I needed to train, I just got home before my dad had got him from work and curled up in bed. I didn't understand why it effected me so much but I was crying. I cried all night slowly drifting off to sleep.

Cato's POV:  
I didn't want to hurt Clove like that, I just worked out if I tricked her into think I was an arrogant ass like the rest of the people from where I live. Maybe, just maybe it won't hurt as much if it hurts now.


	4. Chapter three: The Final Straw

Cato's POV:

The light streamed through my window and onto my unprepared face. Today was the day.

I rolled off my side and onto my back. I sighed peacefully and relaxed, I didn't have to wake up till later. I opened my eyes and stared at the pale ceiling thinking. I knew Clove and I were almost at enemy stage now, I had a bust lip from her because I was winding her up. She was really starting to get on my nerves and making me want to knock her out, but I couldn't stop the need to protect her. She was my competition, and I did hate her now, she was always making out that I was stuck up and a twat like my dad.

I closed my eyes for longer than I thought as the next thing I felt was a large weight knock all the air out of my lungs. My eyes flung open and I looked down to see a giggling miniature version of me with a gap in his teeth where teeth have fallen out.

"what are you doing Siro?" I chuckled siting up. He sat on his legs and smiled brightly at me.

"getting ready to see you in the games!" he was seven and was also training. I laughed a little and a curious frown grew on his face.

"daddy said Cove is going in too" he struggled to say her name an it was made worse by the gap in his teeth. I rolled my eyes and his frown grew more. He had always loved Clove like a sister, and Clove love him too as she never had any siblings.

"yep, so I'm gonna win for sure" I smirked.

"s-so Cove will die?..." he seemed shocked. He always tried to impress Clove by using knives a lot, and she would help him.

"well do you want me to win? And any way, she doesn't like us" I said standing up.

"what?" he said seeming generally upset

"why does she hate us?..."

"because she's an idiot, she thinks we are stuck up" I said as I grabbed my reaping clothes.

"we are not!" he stood up on my bed.

"I know, she's not nice" I said and I grabbed my shoes. He ran out of my room obviously upset.

I showered and changed into my black formal trousers and shiny black shoes, and then my washed out red shirt. They told Clove and I to wear red so this is all I was going to wear that was red. I sighed as I remembered this was Cloves favirote colour. I ran my hand through my hair and rolled up my sleeves as the day was warm for cold grey district two. I grabbed breakfast and sat alone as I ate my toast.

Clove's POV:

I slowly woke up to the lonely house. My dad had already left for a hard day of making weapons so he could get an hour off for the reaping and to say his loving fair well to me. Everyday since I found out about my sudden expectation to volunteer, he was saying how proud he was of me and how I would bring pride to the our friends and family, but how he knew I would miss Cato. I tried to explain to my dad that pride was more important than friends to Cato and I, and how we had adapted to this already. Adaptation is vital in all sense of life.

I slowly made my way out of bed and across the cold stone floor, which felt like they were sending ice pins through my feet, restricting the movement in my ankles. I undressed and slipped into the shower leaving the water on cold. The cold water left my body feeling shocked and alive, I welcomed they slight stinging pain it coursed and slowly turned the shower up so it was quite warm now that I was fully awake. I closed my eyes and put my head back, leaving the water to trickle onto my face and restrict my breathing. I washed myself and my hair then dried off then went back to my room.

I took out the red dress I was being forced to wear, it was a crimson deep red, and at the front it came to about three inches above my knees, and at the back the fabric fell to my heels. The draping dress is tight from above my hips, so it shows the gentle outline of my slightly defined muscles. My hair naturally dried shiny, raven black and loosely curled and fell just above my waist. I slipped on my district token, a sliver bangle with a brick work pattern on, Cato gave it to me on my eighth birthday but I don't want it for where its from but as it represents my district. I finally put on my black heels I was also forced to wear and walked down stairs. Time to go.

As I arrive, the lady that measures all the tributes and sorts out their clothes ran up to me. She seemed like she was from the Capitol, she must of really looked up to them as she always tried to look like them -and I try to say district two doesn't worship the Capitol- She obviously came from a family much like Cato's, stuck up.

"what is going on with you?!" she says in a hushed scream as she took my face in her hand by my chin.

"umm, nothing?" I frown in confusion, as she searches through her bag. She pulls out some make up.

"No! I'm not having _that_ on my face!". She started to work on my eyes with make up I didn't know the names of as I have never touched as it wasn't useful to me and my dad and I needed money for other things. She pulled out her mirror and showed me, and I had to admit I looked quite good.

"thanks.." I mumbled and walked into the line to sign in. I saw Cato and my blood started to boil, but he did look good. I signed in and stood in my place. I watched Cato walk into his place and look at me coldly, so I looked away.

I faced the stage as the Capitol escort, Melody Giffery, stepped on with pick purple lips that looked as though they were purple banana's, dark skin and yellow sparkly eye make up, her hair was green and tied with a yellow bow. She wore a dress that had a purple corset and a large puffy yellow skirt that puffed out to the knee, and had green patterns over it. She looked terrible.

"Welcome!" her screechy Capitol voice called for all of us to hear.

"today, two amazing young tributes will be randomly picked to compete in the seventy fourth annual Hunger Games!" she jumped up and down clapping.

"But" she paused

"first we must watch the Capitols video! Yay!" I rolled my eye at how stupid she acted, the only part I wasn't looking forward to, the Capitol people.

The video played in the background as I stood deep in thought. I had to win, I couldn't leave my dad alone, he couldn't cope alone. My dad and I lived off each other, I needed him to home me, and he needed my help around the house and someone to talk to. Our system was perfect, the games would just make our lives so much better, but if I died...  
I snapped out of thought when I felt a pain in my head like when some one listens to nails scratching on a black board, Melody was talking again.

"Well, lets pick the Men first this year!" she giggled, sticking her long purple nails into the bowl and picking out a singular name.

"being mentored by Enobaria Gleson is" she paused for dramatic effect but all the children in the district knew Cato was going to volunteer.

"Caleb Harrison!" a boy my edged stepped forward, he was from group two so pretty good and would stand a chance of winning, but he knew what was coming.

"I VOLUNTEER!" Cato pushed through standing about half a foot taller than Caleb. Melody smiled.

"Come up here then, what's your name?" she said as he jumped up onto the stage.

"Cato, Cato Hadley" he smirked and about half the girls blushed, I smirked as he had probably dated them all and dumped them all himself knowing him, trying to give himself a 'bad boy' image, where for me none of the boys came near me, I heard them murmur about me and mutter comments but were to frightened of the fiery girl to actually talk to me. This made me think back and realise Cato and Darion where the only people that weren't scared or hated me, and this also lead to remind me of Darion's constant threats and harassment over the last week. I was snapped out of thought again when I heard another name being called.

"Elisia Grensfield!" my small thirteen year old neighbour stepped forward, I always kept an eye out for her and smirked as I realised I could make a sob story out of this.

"I voulnteer!" I sauntered forward wanting to seem laid back and looked at Elisia and she realised my plan, it would help her too if I won and she played along so she hugged me and said thank you. I smiled softly at her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and she walked off to her older brother who must have been nineteen or twenty.  
I stepped on to the stage elegantly and smiled coldly. I walked standing up straight and so my dressed flowed behind me. I brightened up seeing Cato's fists clenched at my plan.

"And your name is darling?" Melody said. I smiled softly looking calm, dangerously calm.

"Clove Cutler" my smile slowly turned cold and to my delight the people clapped for Cato and I.

"well lets see District two's tributes, Cato and Clove shake hands" Melody squeeked.

Cato looked at me, his eyeing blue eyes staring at me as he stuck out his hand. I took his large hand in my small hand and he shaked it. He started to squeeze at a bone crunching strength, making me wince but he kept squeezing till I heard a slight crake and I fell to my knees yelping, and looked up at him as his signature smirk that he never used on me grow on his face. This was the final straw.

Cato's POV:  
How could she use volunteering to make a sob story, how dare she! This was the final straw.


End file.
